Apps Helping Travelers Connect To Locals

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Travel-related apps and services are now letting tourists ask those who are really in the know about a place as well as the locals themselves.

Raleigh Clemens arranges dinners through EatWith, a service that connects chefs, with local foodies or travelers looking for a more authentic experience, for a meal shared in the cook's home.

"It's a great way for people to meet someone who's local. If you're traveling to a country but you want a local experience," said Clemens.

For out-of-towners Brigitte and Dennis Crossen it's about something different.

"A different perspective on the city than I've had before," said Brigitte.

It's that different perspective experts say is driving the growth of apps and services like EatWith, that let travelers explore a city like the locals who live there, and often times, with them.

Rafat Ali, founder of Skift, a travel-industry trend tracker, said this shift in travel is for those who want to find the hidden secrets of a city.

"A big trend is happening in the travel industry. Having deeper experiences as you travel, going to places that locals go," said Ali.

He said when it comes to experiencing a city this way, many of the most popular tools are centered on shared meals. But, others connect travelers with locals for socializing, concierge type services, even bike or car sharing.

"The benefit of using these types of apps is that, one you get experiences beyond the manufactured experiences that are there. The tour bus, the museum tour. The specialized ones are still small. Everybody's trying to figure out what is that one thing that will make it grow," said Ali.

If you're thinking of checking out apps and services for this type of experience on your next trip, Ali says travelers should do their research to see which are popular in the city you're visiting.

When it comes to meeting strangers, keep safety in mind.

"A lot of these apps have ratings both ways, which means you as a user can rate the host but the host can also rate the user," said Ali.

But who are the types of travelers Clemens usually sees at her dinners?

"Usually you have to be a little adventurous. I mean you're eating a meal with complete strangers," said Clemens.

Experts call this "experiential travel" because you get a hands-on experience of a city than you might not get otherwise. As they point out, no one knows a city like the people who live there.